✓ | 𝑾𝒐𝒍𝒇'𝒔 𝑩𝒂𝒏𝒆 (R.STARK 1/3)

Chapter Thirty Six::The Silver Fist

The day had been presented with an incredible sunrise; ambers and golds illuminating the vast spread of cloudless space lurking above the otherwise dull landscape; the morning glow cast down on rolling hills and stretching fields, spotted with forests and the like, turning them into an orange hazed view. From where Raina lay, the landscape was magnificent, even when all that she could see was available due to a gap in the tent's entrance, which had been left ajar through most of the night. She would have moved to close it, had it become a problem, yet the wish to keep Robb from stirring was enough to prevent her moving at all. She had spent most nights with the King, in his arms as they both fell into peaceful slumbers, embraced in the others hold. In all the time Raina had spent imagining what it would be like to be held by the Stark, it had never felt the way it did now, when it was real, happening in that very moment. And the impending risk of everything going wrong at any moment didn't seem to phase either the King, or Raina, when they were with each other. They were completely ignorant to the outside world and all its troubles; and it was bliss.

"Your Grace." Called the deep voice of a soldier, outside the King's accommodation, bringing Robb out of his sleep and disturbing Raina's chance of savouring the moment. Stood in the opening, as clear to see from where Raina lay, was Finn, whom stood now with a pleasantly surprised face. He grinned, before spinning on his heels so that his back faced the ajar tent, his chuckling still audible. If her teasing from her brothers hadn't been bad before, Finn would surely make it worse for Raina now. She sighed, burying her face within her hands and trying hard conceal the bright red that was sure to be flushed on her cheeks by now. Knowing her brother all too well, she knew how this must have looked to him, and was trying to mentally prepare herself for the never ending torment that would shortly follow. "Lord Galbart wishes to speak with you," Finn stated promptly, his head turned slightly over his shoulder so that the King may hear his words without struggle. "Thank you Finn," Robb replied, his voice rough from only just having awoken, and his eyes hardly open. Finn nodded, and departed the area quickly, a sly smirk still toying with his lips as he walked away, leaving Raina and Robb in peace.

Robb yawned, arms gripping around Raina tightly. "What could your father possibly want at this hour?" He mumbled, head pressed into the nook of Raina's neck as he struggled to wake himself up. "Presumably something entirely pointless, as always," Raina remarked, silently detesting her father with every waking moment that passed. Robb shifted behind her, before sitting up in their bed, his hand moving to rub the sleep from his eyes; his other arm failing to move from Raina's waist. "In any case, I must see to him." Robb said sadly, letting his embrace to slip from the young Glover. Finally clambering to his feet, Robb went for the entrance of the tent, having fallen asleep in the leathers he wore the night before, there was no reason for him to dress. As he was about to leave, he turned to look at the young Glover, a bright smile broadening on his face as he gazed at her, before turning and walking away.

Raina felt lonely for amount, the emptiness of the tent taunting her, and reminding her that she had to go on with the day without Robb's company. As much as she had grown used to being on her own, she had also become so accustomed to having Robb at her side that spending any time without him felt wrong. Discomforting.

"Raina?" Came a voice from the opening of the tent, the same voice to have interupted Raina's line of thought moments before. Once again stood, in the ajar entrance, with the sun's golden rays reflecting off of the shiny surface of his leathers, was Finn; whom stood with his head hung low, and parchment held tightly in his grasp. "What is it Finn? Robb has already left," Raina replied calmly, stretching her arms above her head as she went to stand and greet him properly. "This is not about Robb," Finn was quick to state, his expression no longer the mocking one that it had been moments ago. "Well what is it then?" Raina inquired, watching as her brother, having been acknowledged, stepped further into the King's tent, still hardly looking to Raina. Once close to the bed in which she still sat upon, he held out the somewhat dirtied parchment, bearing the seal of House Glover. "It's for you," Finn said solemnly, head remaining low. Raina, almost immediately, snatched the parchment from her brother, examining it carefully as she held it in her unsteady hands. The seal was easily recognisable as that of her own house, but that made little sense when considering her current situation. "It was due to arrive sooner." Finn spoke again, "but with all of our travelling, it got lost on the road," His voice was low also, still, as he hardly cast his gaze anywhere past his feet.

Ripping the seal open, Raina became much more confused, and intrigued, to know what exactly she had missed however many months ago. Once the parchment snapped apart, revealing a large paragraph of neat writing, Raina withheld a gasp, eyes attracted instantly to whom the letter had been sent from.

Dear my loving sister,
When mother told me of your desertion, I wasn't at all surprised, somewhat upset at not getting to say a final farewell, but I doubt it will be the last time we meet. I have all but been expecting you to run away sooner or later, after Delvin left, and then with Finn, I'd been counting down the days till you too joined them on their departure, and I dare say you were right to do so. There had been multiple occasions in which I'd thought you might finally go, but this time, I knew you'd snapped; and I cannot blame you for reacting as you did. Father has well and truly lost it, to offer you up to a man like Ramsay is absurd. I didn't believe it at first, but once I heard of your leaving, it made sense that he had been serious, and that you were so urgent to get away before giving yourself over to that monster. I'd thought perhaps you'd make it to Ironrath, or Winterfell if you were lucky, before father cut you off. But it seems the gods favour your more than I had expected. And I am pleased that you were successful in your escape. I just pray, my dear Raina, that you're life elsewhere is far better than the one set for you by the man we share as a father. And I severely hope you may never be found by that man, or any other who may prevent you from excelling. We may have had our differences in our past, that was to be expected as sisters, but I sincerely hope you will agree with me, that we, despite our disagreements, have been reasonably decent to one another in our time, and I am proud to name you as a fellow Glover. I love you, Raina, and am writing to you to tell you that. I pray we may see one another again in the future, be it sooner or later. However, I must warn you that Roose Bolton, that bastard's father, was quite set on this deal. Judging by his son, I would not put it past him to harm those near to you, if it would secure this betrothal. Be wary sister, and stay safe.

With all my love,
Esme.

P.S Send my regards to Robb when you find him. I have faith that you will not take long in doing so.

Esme always did know Raina better than she would care to admit, and so it was not entirely surprising that the older Glover had deduced where Raina had intended on going once leaving. Yet, the sentiment in Esme's words had Raina choking on her breath, the words that Esme had written, in hopes of seeing her sister again, had Raina's heart waning mournfully; the thought of never having said goodbye to her sister, haunting Raina as she proceeded to read, and read once more, the letter in which she held tightly in her trembling hands. "Is it-" Finn choked, his hand quickly swiping at his stubbled cheek to conceal the single tear that had escaped at the idea of whom had written to Raina so long ago. "Yes," Raina sighed, knowing too well what Finn had intended on asking, before his voice failed him. "She said Roose Bolton would do anything to ensure the betrothal," Raina spoke up again, a moment of dull quietness passing before her voice pierced the silence. "Do you think he might have-" Raina paused, wincing internally at what she was accusing the Lord of, but secretly knowing the potential truth in her accusation. "Perhaps," Finn replied, "but you might wish to speak with Robb on the matter, he would know of the Lord's actions better than I," Raina nodded, going to stand and trying hard not to focus on the letter still gripped in her fist.

She didn't think much as she walked, stomping through quagmire paths that had been caused between tents, small puddles and indents in the walkways that did little to phase Raina on her march to find the King. She didn't think much as she walked straight past the Forresters, and her eldest brother, the only thing taunting her mind being the idea of her sister's death, and the potential of whom might have caused such a tragedy. Raina was sure that whomever had done it, whomever had taken her sister from her, would pay for it if she got her way. And putting doubted faith in Robb, she hoped he might not stand in her way in doing so.

Upon reaching the tent, Raina froze, eyes not finding Robb as she entered without invitation. Instead, her gaze locked onto the Lord sat beside the King's mother, and in front of the King himself, whom had stood as soon as he noticed Raina's presence. The other 2 members of his company had also acknowledged her arrival almost instantly, Catelyn looking incredibly unimpressed with her interruption. But neither the King, nor his mother, bothered to phase Raina in that moment, and so she failed to hear their voices once she was entirely in the tent. The only thing she could hear, the only voice audible to her, and the only person she paid any attention to, being the Lord now stood a few feet away. "Raina?"